No Nay Never Colt Leads Home Ballydoyle 1-2 In Prix Robert Papin

Blackbeard (2c No Nay Never - Muirin, by Born To Sea) became No Nay Never’s second impressive Group winner of the weekend when justifying favouritism in the Group 2 Prix Robert Papin.

Aidan O’Brien’s charge won his first three starts, including at Listed and Group level, and was last seen suffering a narrow defeat in the Group 2 Railway Stakes at the Curragh. Sent off favourite at Chantilly, he raced prominently throughout under Ioritz Mendizabal and was asked to challenge two furlongs from home. Running on to lead soon after, he kicked clear entering the final furlong and kept on well to score by three lengths. The winning distance was three lengths, with stablemate The Antarctic completing a 1-2 for Ballydoyle, with another three lengths clear back to the third horse.

O’Brien, who was at the Curragh, said after the race. “We're delighted with Blackbeard. He was a baby all the way along and, even though he was still babyish today, Ioritz was very impressed with him. He said that he was professional and won easily.”

The same connections captured the Group 3 Anglesey Stakes the previous day with the similarly impressive Little Big Bear (No Nay Never), and when quizzed on the duo, O’Brien explained, “We were just trying to split them up and that's why Blackbeard went to France. He could come back to the Curragh for the Phoenix Stakes, which is also an option for Little Big Bear.”

Bred by Newstead Breeding, Blackbeard is the first foal out of useful two-year-old Murin and sold for 270,000gns as a foal.